Apparatus for transporting concrete



Aug. 20,1929. H. w. ST. JOHN v APPARATUS FOR TRANSPORTING CONCRETE FiledJan. 19, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet WWW M M my WW I v r 0 Y B -Aug. 20, 1929.H. W. St JOHN APPARATUS FOR TRANSPORTING CONCRETE 5 Sheets-$heet FiledJan. 19, 1929 [zVVE/VTOR. Hag W. 5/Jo/7/7 BY AT RNEYS.

Aug. 20 1929. w 511 JOHN 1,725,681

APPARATUS FOR TRANSPORTING CONCRETE Filed Jan. 19, 1929 SSheets-Sheet 3[9&3

Patented Aug. 7 20, 1929.

UNITED STATES,

HENRY w. sr. JOHN, or nnrenrwa'rans, NEW YORK.

APPARATUS FOR TRANSPOBTING CONCRETE.

Application filed January 19, 1929. Serial No. 833,586.

This invention relates to apparatus for transporting concrete, and saidapparatus for pieces of stone or 1 gears and strip the tee may partakeof various forms such as a wheeled vehicle or truck to travel on roadswithout tracks, or constitute, or form part of, a railway car adapted totravel on the tracks of either standard or narrow gauge as may bedesired. In any event, the general purpose of the apparatus is totransport concrete and to a itate' it while it is being transported inor er to preclude stratification of the concrete within the cylmder inwhich it is contained during transportation.

It has heretofore been suggested to transport concrete from a suitablecentral mixing station to various construction-jobs by trucks embodyinga chassis on which a cyllnder 1s mounted for rotation on a horizontl axs. The cylinder which is adaptedto .contaln the concrete duringtransportation 1s generally supported on horizontal trunmons positionedat its opposite ends and these trunnions are journalled inbearin s suported on a tiltable cradle, so that w en t e truck reaches itsdestination the cradle may be tilted in order to discharge concrete in amanner to be directly poured. In practically all trucks of this typesuitable means is provided for rotating the cylinder during transit andthis means has invariably partaken of the form of positive mechanicaldrive. The most common mechanism heretofore employed consistsinprovidingthe cylinder with an annular toothed ring or gear adapted tomesh with the pinion driven from the truck motor or from any othersuitable source of energy.

Another method of rotating the cylinder consists in applying powerpositively to one of the trunnions of the cylinder by means of gearingbetween such trunnion and a suitable source of power.

My experience with both of these well known methods has convinced methat they are ill-adapted for the purposes for which they are intended.I have found that in the handling of concrete, it is practicallyimpossible to exclude. grit, stone and sandfromthe driving connections,such as have heretofore been used and under'prior practice, it is notuncommon, in fact, quite usual, gravel to get into the t so as to renderthe structure inoperative.

With the foregoing considerations in mind, the object of the presentinvention is to provide a construction wherein there is no gearingconnection between the drive vmechanism and the cylinder, that is to saya construction wherein the cylinder is not required to carry any gear,nor is any gear mounted on either of the trunnions on which the cylinderis secured. In contradistinction, the present invention provides for afriction drive of the cylinder by engagement therewith of a suitablefriction drive member, so mounted that it will engage di rectly with thecylinder or with a sultable bearing ring associated with the cylinder,and such engagement is with suflicient force, to produce proper drivingaction between the parts, whereby the cylinder is frictionally drivenfrom a suitable source of power.

The friction member to which I have referred is resiliently mounted soas to be yieldably pressed in a resilient manner into driving engagementwith the cylinder, by means of a suitable spring suspension or mountinassociated with the drive element. In practlce, this mounting maypartake of various forms, but in any event, it will serve to firmly holdthe drivlng element in driving relation with the cylinder wherebyrotation is frictionally imparted to the latter.

In the preferred, prjactical form of the invention, the drive element ispreferably mounted on the truck chassis and independently of thetiltable cradle of the truck on which the cylinder is sup orted, so thatthe cylinder is driven only when in its'normal orizontal position. Whenthe cylinder is raisgd, it will automatically be disengaged fromcooperative relation with the dIlVG element to be re-engaged therewithwhen returned to horizontal position. Stones, dirt or gravel will notharm or break the driving mechanism of the present invensubject theoperating mechanism to shocks s will be taken up through as such shocsllght slippage between the parts and no such serious damage will bedone as is the case with positive driving connections as heretoforeemployed.

Features of the invention, other than those specified, will be apparentfrom the hereinafter detailed description and claims, when read inconjunction with the accompanying drawings. I

The accompanying drawings illustrate one practical embodiment of. theinvention, but the construction therein shown, is to be understood asillustrative, only, and not as spring mounting for the friction drivingelement.

Figure 5 is a fragmental section on the plane of the line 55 of Figure1, showing a locking detent for securing the cylinderagainst rotationwhen tilted for discharge of the concrete.

The present invention may be incorpo rated in either truck constructionor in railway rolling equipment. For the purpose of illustration,however, I have shown the in vention as associated with a motor truckhaving a suitable internal combustion engine (not shown) for propellingthe truck and for also furnishing the power whereby the cylinder isrotated. The truck chassis, designated 1, is provided with the usualwheels and running gear, and the motor drives the rear wheels through asuitable transmission gearing housed within a gear case or transmissionbox 2. i

Positioned above the chassis frame 1 is a cradle or platform 3 of strongand rugged construction, which platform is pivoted near its rear end tothe rear end of the chassis frame to allow of tilting movement of theplatform 3 on a horizontal axis extending transversely of the frame. Theplatform normally occupies the horizontal position shown in Figure 1,but it may be tilted *up as stated by means of suitable hoistingmechanism such, for example,as indicated at 4 in F igure' 1. Thehoisting mechanism shown is a hydraulic piston hoist of well knownconstruction, the cylinder of which is supported on the chassis frame 1and the piston of which is secured to the platform 3. Power is deliveredto the hoisting mechanism through the connection indicated at 5,

.this power being derived from the transmission of the truck. I wish itunderstood,

however, that I do not limit the present in.

' ed to revolve.

vention to any particular type of hoist as either mechanical orhydraulic mechanism of any suitable kind may be employed in thisconnection. It is suflicient that means is provided to tilt the cradleand more particularly the cylinder mounted thereon and adapted tocontain the concrete.

The cylinder designated 6 is of strong and rugged construction, ofhollow cylindrical shape enclosed at both ends by suitable end plates,the rear one of which is provided with any appropriate discharge gate,for normally closing the discharge opening 7 shown in Figure 5. The'cylinder is supported on a platform .3 for rotation on a horizontalaxis in any suitable manner, but, for thepurpose of illustration, saidcylinder is shown as having axial trunnions 8 mounted in antifrictionbearings 9, supported on standards 10, which are rigidly permanentlysecured to the platform to provide a tiltable' and rigid mounting forthe bearings 9 in which the cylinder trunnions are adapt- The cylinderis shown as rovided with a charging door 11, although, in practice, thiscylinder may be filled through a door in either the front or rear endsthereofas may be desired.

An important feature of the present invention consists in the manner inwhich the cylinder is rotated through a friction drive embodying afriction wheel 12 mounted to engage either directly with the. surface ofthe cylinder or with a suitable bearing ring embracing saidcylinder. Thefundamental principle involved in this feature of the invention is tomaintain a suitable driven friction wheel in engagement with thecylinder in order to frictionally drive the cylinder from said wheel. Inpractice, a plurality of these friction wheels may be employed withoutdeparting from the invention, but my experience has shown that one wheelis sufficient to give thoroughly practical results. Thus, inthe showingof the accompanying drawings, a single friction wheel 12 is positioneddirectly below the cylinder so as to bear against the under sidethereof. This .wheel 12 is preferably faced with a suitable frictionmaterial susceptible of sustaining proper frictional engagement with thecylinder and of withstanding wear through long periods.

The wheel 12 is mounted upon a shaft 14 and is anchored at its oppositeends to channel beams which are parallel to one another and extendtransversely of the chassis frame 1 and are rigidly secured to thelatter. Through the coils 18 at the other ends of the springs extends arod 21 and this rod also extends through the eyes of two eye bolts 22which pass upwardly and through one flange of an angle beam 23 supportedon and above the two channel beams 20. The eye bolts 22 have threadedshanks and nuts 24 are screwed on to these shanks and rest upon theupper face of the horizontal flange of the angle beam 23 and thusprovide forsuspension of the ends of the springs whereat the coils 18are located. .The coiled ends 17 of the springs are anchored on thestationary rod 20, but the other ends of the springs can be raised andlowered by manipulating the nuts 24 in order to cause the friction wheel12 to lesser pressure as may be appropriate to secure the desired drivenrelation between the parts. By thus manipulating the bolts 24, thedriving relation between the friction wheel and the cylinder may beinitially adgusted and wear subsequently compensated It will be notedthat I have shown lea-f springs of the multi-semiclliptical type asconstituting the resilient supporting means for the friction wheel, butI wish it understood, however, that if desired coil. springs or springsof any other suitable type may be used for the same purpose withoutdeparting from this invention, since the fundamental purpose of thesesprings is to hold the friction wheel in engagement with the cylinder ina resilient and yielding manner.

The friction wheel is, according to the present invention, adapted to bedriven from any suitable source of power through any appropriate drivingconnections which}. of

course will vary depending upon the nature" of the prime mover and thespeed at which the latter operates. For the purpose of illustration,however, I have shown the parts as driven from he truck motor, withthepower take-off at t e transmission. Such being the case, the drivingconnections shown are such as are appropriate to the particular speedratio between theparts. Worms and worm wheels or other appropriate speedreduction gearing may be employed, but, in the illustrative showing ofthe drawings, a series of shafts, sprockets ,and sprocket chains areillustrated as appropriate for the purposes stated.

By reference to the drawings, it will be noted that I utilize a sidetake-off of power from the transmission case, this side take-off beingindicated by the reference character 25, and the primary stub shaft ofthe drive being designated 26m, This stub shaft is shown as connected byuniversaljoints 27 and 28 and by a shaft 29 to a countershaft 30 mountedin suitable bearings 31 supported on the side of the chassis frame andthe rear end of this countershaft carries a sprocket gear 32. v

A sprocket chain 33 connects this sprocket with a second sprocket wheel34 fixed on a shaft 35 mounted in suitable bearings 36 supported on theunder sides of the channel beams 20. Alsofixed to the shaft 35- is asprocket 37 with which cooperates a sprocket chain 38 encircling afourth sprocket 39 fixed on a shaft 40. This shaft is mounted onbearings 41 positioned on the tops of thechannel beams 20 and said shaftalso has fixed thereto another sprocket 42. A

sprocket chain 43 encircles the sprocket 42 I and also a sprocket 44fixed on the shaft 14 to which the friction wheel 12 is secured.

It will thus be apparent that the power derived from the motor of thetruck is taken off from the transmission and applied through the shafts26, 29 and 30 to the sprocket 32, thencethrough the chain33 and sprocket34 to the shaft 35 and thence through the sprocket 37 and chain 38 tothe sprocket 39 which rotates the shaft 40 and thus drives the sprocket42 which is con heated by the sprocket chain 43 to the sprocket 44 todrive the shaft 14 to rotatethe friction wheel. By this sprocket chaingearing I "obtain the desired speed reduction with relatively compactmechanism, although, if desired, worms and gears or other suitable speedreduction mechansim may be used for the samepurpose.

I wish to lay particular stress upon the fact that the cylinder isfri'ctionally driven b a driving element which is resiliently andyieldably. held to its work. This feature of the invention has proved tobe of great'practical importance and it is a wide departure from anymanner of drive hereinbefore utilized in the art to which the presentinvention pertains. Ever since concrete has been transported in trucks,gearing connections have been employed between the cylinder and thedriving mechanism. These connect-ions are frequently out of order andaresubject to breakage and wear which. it is practically impossible toovercome or compensate for. When' the friction drive of the presentinvention is, however, employed, all the disadvantages heretofore metwith in the geared constructions of the prior art are totally eliminatedand a thoroughly reliableconstruction results.

Practical employment of the invention has demonstrated beyondperadventure that this method of driving the cylinder has pro- ,nouncedpractical advantages aside from the H question of breakage or wear. .Thedrive is simpler than with the geared connection and sudden strains orstresses on the driving connections or mountings of the respective partsare also wholl eliminated. Furthermore, when the ,cy der is tilted todischarge the concrete, the cylinder automatically becomes disengagedfrom the friction wheel and may beturned a little one way or the otherto properly line up the discharge opening with a pouring chute with thedischarge opening in its lowest position, When the cylinder againlowered to horizontal position after discharge it automatically comesinto engagement with the frictionwheel. There are no gears to mesh orunmesh and absolutely no driving connections whatever need be mounted onthe platform or cradle'as are necessary with practically all piston geardrives heretofore emploved.. J

In practice, the sprockets and chains may be completely .housed'within asuitable casnism well adapted for this purpose is shown in Figure 5.Here the side bar of the cradle or platform 3 is shown as providedthereon with a bracket 45.0arrying the plvot 46 for a latch 47 having anose 48; to the heel of the latch is secured a 'rod- 49 carrying aweight 50 and belowthe lower end of the rod is a stop bracket 51. Thisbracket 51 is supported on a spacer 52 positionedon the upper edge ofone of the side bars of the chassis frame 1. 'On the periphery of thedrum of the cylinder are positioned two spaced apart stops 53.

With this arrangement 'of the parts, it will i I be noted that so longas the cradle is lowered into horizontal position, the lower end of therod 49 will engage with the bracket 51 to lift the heel of the'latch 47and retract the nose 48 intothe full lineposition of Fig. 5.

However, as soo as the platform is tilted to tilt the cylinder, thelower end of the rod 49 'will be lifted away from the stop- 51 and theweight 50 will thereupon depress the wheel of the latch and cause thenose 48 to be moved into the dotted line positionillus trated in thisfigure. When in this position the nose will lie between the stops 53 andthus lock the cylinder against rotation with the outlet opening 7 in itslowermost position.

With thigarrangemnt, the cylinder cannot possibly rotate while beingemptied. Moreover, since the latch will be immedioperation or, the

ately retracted upon lowering of the cylin der, it necessarily followsthat breaking of the parts cannot occurthrou h inadvertent cylinderwitthe latch in looking position.

The foregoing detailed description sets forththe invention in itspreferred practical form, but the invention is to be understood as fullyclaims. I

Having thus fully described the invention, what I claim as new anddesire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In an apparatus for transporting and agitating concrete, a vehiclehaving a supporting frame, a cradle mounted on the frame for tiltingmovement on a horizontal axis, a vessel, means for supporting the vesselon the cradle for rotation on a horizontal axis when the cradle is innon-tilted position, a friction. drive wheel mounted'on and carriedcommensurate with the appended vessel to engage therewith when thecradle is in normal n0n-tilted position, and means for rotatingthefriction wheel to rotate thevessel.

2. In an apparatus for transporting and agitating concrete, avehiclehaving a supporting frame, a cradle 'mounted ,on the frame fortilting movement on a horizontalv axis, a vessel, means for supportingthe vessel on the cradle for rotation on a horizontal axis when thecradle is in non-tilted plsition, a shaft positioned arallel to the axisof rotation of the vesse a friction wheel carried on said shaftcontiguous to the vessel,

bearings for said shaft, springs supporting thebearings on the frame ofthe vehicle independently of the cradle, means for tensioning thesprings supported on the frame independently of the cradle-to cause thefriction wheel to engage the vessel with sufiicient friction to rotatethe vessel from the friction wheel, a suitable source of power, andreducing gearing between the source of power and the shaft to drive theshaft and thus impart rotation to the friction wheel for the purpose ofrotating the vessel.

3. In an apparatus for transporting and agitating concrete, a vehiclehaving a supporting frame, a cradle mounted on the frame for tiltingmovement on a horizontal axis, avessel supported on the cradleforrotati'on ona horizontal axis when the cradle is in non-tiltedposition, a shaft positioned parallel to the axis of rotation-of thevessel, a friction wheel carried on said shaft contiguous to the vessel,bearings for said shaft, semielliptical springs, one end of each ofwhich is secured to the frame on a fixed.

. ed on the frame,

ends in the direction of the vessel to place' the springs undersufficient tension to force the friction wheel into frictional drivingengagement with the vessel, a suitable source of power, and speedreduction gearing between said source of power and the shaft for thepurpose of driving the friction wheel to impart rotation to the vesselas long as the vessel is in non-tilted position with the axis of itsrotation substantially parallel to the shaft.

4. In an apparatus for transporting and agitating concrete, a vehiclehaving a supporting frame, a friction drive wheel mountand means forrotating said friction drive wheel, in combination with a cradle mountedfor tilting movement on the frame, a vessel mounted for rotation on thecradle and for tilting movement therewith, said vessel being positionedto engage with the friction wheel when in non-tilted position, to berotated by said friction wheel and to be disengaged from saidfrictionwheel when in tilted position.

5. In an apparatus for' transporting and agitating concrete, a vehiclehaving a frame, a friction drive wheel mounted on the frame, and meansfor rotating said friction drive wheel, in combination with a vesselmounted for tilting movement with respect to the frame and also forrotation, said vessel being positioned to engage with the friction wheelwhen in non-tilted position, to be rotated by said friction wheel and tobe disengaged from said friction wheel when in tilted position, andmeans for locking the vessel against rotation while disengaged from thefriction whee 6. In an apparatus for transporting and .said frictionwheel and agitating concrete, a vehicle having a frame, a friction drivewheel mounted on the frame, means for rotating said friction drivewheel, in combination wit a vessel mounted for tilting movement withrespect to the frame and also for rotation, said vessel being positionedto engage with the friction wheel when in non-tilted position, to berotated by to from said friction wheel when in tilted position, and alocking latch cooperating to lock the vessel against rotation when it istilted free from the friction wheel and to release the vessel forrotation when it is re-engaged with the friction wheel.

7. In an apparatus fortransporting and agitating concrete, a suitableframe, a cylinder mounted on the frame for rotation and tiltingmovement, a pivoted latch contiguous to the cylinder and tiltabletherewith, and a stop on the cylinder to cooperate with the latch, saidlatch engaging with the stop when the cylinder is tilted and disengagingfrom the stop when the cylinder is moved into non-tilted position.

8. In an apparatus for transporting and agitating concrete, portingframe, a vessel, and means for mounting the vessel for rotation on theframe, a friction wheel separate from and independent of the means formounting the vessel and frictionally engaging with the vessel, means fordriving the friction wheel to impart rotation to the vessel, and aspring for yieldably maintaining the friction wheel in drivingengagement with the vessel.

In testimony whereof I have signed the foregoing speclficatlon.

HENRY W. ST. JOHN.

be disengaged a vehicle provided with' a vehicle having a sup-

